Some key points:<\/p>\n
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- It is a flexible weekend as far as times, you can attend as much of it as works for your family. We choose to arrive early Saturday morning, right when breakfast ends so that we can take part in all activities.\u00a0 We stay until the end on Sunday afternoon.\u00a0 If you arrive Friday night, it adds some activities that night and also allows you to get settled in.\u00a0 For us arriving Saturday early works best.<\/li>\n
- Sleeping\/Living arrangements: You stay in one of various cabins available at the Camp Bernie site.\u00a0 We have only stayed in one (each year we request the same one) and for us it is great.\u00a0 It has a big common area in the middle and then two sleeping areas, one side for men and one side for women.\u00a0 In each section there are a bunch of bunk beds as well as a bathroom with showers.\u00a0 The facility was clean and was great for us.\u00a0 When you get there you can pick whichever bunk beds work that are not being used.\u00a0 Each has a mattress which you bring a sheet to cover and your own pillows\/blankets.\u00a0 An extra sheet to hang is great if your child needs to close off from the world.\u00a0 The central area in the cabin is our favorite.\u00a0 It allows us to meet other people, sit and talk, and in the evening we bring card and board games to play with anyone else staying there.<\/li>\n
- Eating arrangements: There is plenty of food.\u00a0 On Saturday there is breakfast, lunch and dinner.\u00a0 Usually each is held in the dining hall.\u00a0 Each family is assigned to a table, which is shared with others.\u00a0 There is a salad bar available with many choices.\u00a0 The dining hall is well organized.\u00a0 The menu is preset.\u00a0 Each table gets called up and a few people from the table go up and get the tray of food for that table.\u00a0 The meal is served family style meaning the tray has a few plates of the entrees which everyone can take from.\u00a0 All food costs are included in your initial fee.<\/li>\n
- Central meeting spot: This has been located near the dining hall and is where you would pick up your information packet.\u00a0 It serves as the central area where you can find out information, talk with NJCTS members, and also just meeting up with other campers and talk.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
When you arrive: you go to this central area where there is a parking lot and get your packet.\u00a0 In that packet is all the information for your weekend.\u00a0 The whole weekend is very well organized but it is also flexible based on what works for your family.\u00a0 You are assigned to a group and each group is given specific times for activities.\u00a0 It also gives a schedule of all the options such as seminars and discussion panels that you can choose to attend.\u00a0 And it gives your cabin name and answers other questions.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\nActivities:<\/strong><\/p>\n
Fun camp type activities:<\/strong> There are plenty of things to do and they are optional. Usual activities include a lake where you can do canoe on the lake, a swimming pool, archery, ropes course, and similar activities.\u00a0 Each is run by dedicated Camp Bernie personnel who are there to help and assist.\u00a0 Aside from the pre-planned activities, there is also a basketball court with balls which is popular, tetherball, and arts and crafts such as rock painting, etc.\u00a0 We have always enjoyed all of these activities.<\/p>\n
NJCTS group learning activities:<\/strong> In the past this has included a mentor panel where children and young adults with TS sit at a table, talk about themselves and then open up to any questions the group wants to ask.\u00a0 It is very informal and something we have found extremely educational.
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<\/p>\nTalent show:<\/strong> probably one of the favorite parts for us, you can simply attend and watch others perform a talent, or you can sign up to join in.\u00a0 Talents include singing a song, playing an instrument, a dance, many different things.\u00a0 It is very casual and is a great time for all.<\/p>\n
Educational seminars and talks:<\/strong> In the past there have been a neurologist, a psychologist, members of the Rutgers TS program, and also a parent panel. We have learned a lot at these and all offer you the chance to ask questions.<\/p>\n
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The best way to sum up the weekend is this:\u00a0 Last year there were not enough people who had signed up early on, so it was cancelled.\u00a0 My family looks forward to it and were really disappointed about it.\u00a0 We figured our son with TS would be the most upset out of all of us.\u00a0 But when I informed my family that it wasn\u2019t going to happen, our 11 year old daughter (who does not have TS) was the one who was the most upset.\u00a0 When I asked her why she was more upset than her brother she said because she has so much fun there and looks forward to it all year.<\/p>\n
Adam Regan<\/em><\/p>\n
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If you are interested in the NJCTS 2018 Family Retreat, visit www.njcts.org\/family<\/a> to learn more and register.<\/strong><\/p>\n
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